Tampa Bay's Mikhail Sergachev: More Important Than Ever

With two of their regulars hurt, the Lightning relied heavily on the 24-year-old blueliner in Game 1 - not that he hasn't been crucial all year long.

Whenever I think of Mikhail Sergachev, I am reminded of the 2017 Memorial Cup, where the defenseman helped the host Windsor Spitfires win the continental championship over the other OHL entry that year, the powerhouse Erie Otters. Walking around the ice as the Spitfires celebrated, I found myself asking Windsor GM/co-owner Warren Rychel if he thought Sergachev - who still had a year of junior eligibility remaining - would return for another season. Rychel, already in an obviously fantastic mood, let out a laugh and said, "No way. He's gone."

And as Rychel predicted, Sergachev never played junior again. Just weeks after the Memorial Cup, Sergachev was traded by the Montreal Canadiens to Tampa Bay in exchange for Jonathan Drouin and that fall, the Russian rearguard began his NHL career with the Lightning.

Of course, when you think of the Tampa Bay blueline, the first name that jumps to mind is Norris Trophy-winner Victor Hedman. But over the years, Sergachev has evolved into a stunning talent himself, and right now, the Bolts need him more than ever.

While Tampa Bay walked past the Toronto Maple Leafs easily in Game 1 on Tuesday night, it may have been a Pyrrhic victory: Hedman played only one period before leaving with what coach Jon Cooper referred to as a "surprising" ailment, while fellow D-man Erik Cernak was knocked out late in the second period when he took a head shot from Michael Bunting (and just to pile on, forward Mikey Eyssimont also left the game after being trucked by Jake McCabe).

Post-game, Cooper did not have any updates on the fallen Bolts, but if Hedman and/or Cernak miss Game 2 or any of the following matches, the Lightning are going to rely on Sergachev even more than they already have this season.

If you don't follow the Bolts, you may be surprised to learn that Sergachev actually averaged more ice time than Hedman this season and at 23:49 per game, he had one of the heavier workloads in the league. And yet, it was also the 24-year-old's best season, with 64 points in 79 games - 24 more than his previous career high. His coach has witnessed that evolution.

"For me personally, I've been pretty blessed to have Victor Hedman and to watch what he has done, and now to sit here and think 'we've got another one of those coming,' " Cooper said. "He was an elite junior player, but he had to learn the pro game and actually learn to defend. All the stuff he can do offensively - those are God's gifts - but all those things you have to do when you don't have the puck? That's a decision you make if you want to be great. And Sergy made that decision. He's a helluva player."

In Game 1 against Toronto, Sergachev played 26:23, and he wasn't the only blueliner taking on more duty by necessity. Darren Raddysh, who averaged 16:29 in 17 games this season, played 23:37, while veteran Ian Cole put in 24:18. The key to survival when you're down to four guys?

"Try not to get stuck on the ice too long, that would be a good first step," Cole said. "It helps when you have the lead. You don't have to jump in the play as much, you can sit back, play defense, get the puck out, get the puck in. Be smart, short shifts. It was a pretty mature third period from a team that has a lot of experience."

With Nick Perbix rounding out the survivors, the Bolts did indeed cruise to a 7-3 win. But even Sergachev got tangled up with Toronto's Ryan O'Reilly at one point and was not available for interviews after the game because he was getting treatment. Nonetheless, he gutted it out (if I'm being an amateur doctor, his ankle would be the concern) until the final buzzer.

"He's a freak athlete," Cole said. "He's big, strong, plays hard, has all the skill in the world, he's fast, he runs our first power play...it's pretty incredible what he can do at such a high level. He's built for the playoffs. We're very fortunate to have him - we locked him up for a while this summer, which was a great move, and it's always good to have a guy like that."

Indeed, as Cole mentioned, Tampa Bay signed Sergachev to an eight-year extension this past summer that kicks in next season, paying the D-man $8.5 million per year. But with two Stanley Cup titles and a chance at a fourth straight final this year, it's fair to say Sergachev has already paid massive dividends for the Lightning.